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A question I receive often is asking for ideas on how to improve their home’s value. Whether you are remodeling to bring your home up to date or plan on selling, here are a few interesting facts from an article I read and thought you might find useful:

1) A new front door. (Return on investment: 96.6%) Refresh your entryway and impress potential buyers with a new front door. If your current front door is in good condition, consider painting or staining to make it look as good as new.

3) An attic bedroom. (Return of investment: 84.3%) Bedrooms are a versatile addition to a home. They can serve as a bedroom, a guest room or a home office. An attic bedroom makes use of this often underutilized space and adds value to the home.

I found so many photos of beautiful attic bedrooms! I did not know so many people creatively used the space- genius!

4) A new garage door. (Return of investment: 83.7%) If your garage doors are old or dated, replacing them will add value to your home. If they’re still in good shape, paint them to enhance the look of your home.

I just love when my online clients send me after photos to share. Thank you Marsha! I have worked with Marsha on many paint and decorating projects, interior and exterior, in her home the last couple of years. We did a project last year where I helped Marsha choose a new paint color for her front door and accessories for a beautiful new entry:

Her latest project was fixing up the back and transforming the deck. She asked if I would help choose a stain color that would work well with the siding:

At first, she asked for a brown color suggestion that you typically see on decks. But I told her I would try a paint color with a little more personality. I had given her a few sample colors to try and Martha and her husband decided Benjamin Moore Sparrow AF-720 was the winner! I also suggested using the Sparrow for the door and windows to bring it all together.

Here is the after:

So pretty! Amazing transformation. Here was the deck in the beginning:

During:

And the completed deck project:

What a huge difference! The deck looks more updated and the space they have now is amazing! Don’t you think they did a great job? Love it!

Update: Connie asked about the stain and Marsha wrote this:

“I just read your blog. You did a wonderful presentation of our deck re-do! We are very happy with the paint color choice. You were spot on when you suggested the Sparrow. The Benjamin Moore product that we used is called:
ARBORCOAT Solid Deck and Siding Stain (640)

It is available in any BM color.

If you need help selecting paint colors for your home, contact me today.

Looking at all of the beautiful inspirational Fall photos here, here and here, I felt motivated to decorate my own porch:

I used the same wreath from last year I made here. In one photo, I saw a pretty white pumpkin with a black monogram. She had used a decal sticker for her pumpkin, which I could not find in large alphabet letters anywhere! But I like my ‘B’ I found:

Can you tell up close which is the real pumpkins and which are faux? Shhhhhh..Picking out the cornstalk was the best. Look, it still has corn on it!:

I might add an up light behind the cornstalk. That would look really nice at night!

Have you started decorating for Autumn? I know it is a bit early, but I was supposed to leave for Chicago tomorrow to visit my sisters and I was just planning ahead. I was looking so forward to it. Unfortunately, my trip was cancelled today but that is another story.